NEWS

Index

For the winter issue of Material Girl, I was invited to do an interview called, "The Day I..." I chose to illustrate the day that I found numerous treasures in my grandparents, Sid and Ada's abandoned house. I found clothes and dishes that had been lying there for over twenty years! Here is a real life photo of my bounty and the illustration. Along with the interview in the magazine that Mori found. <3

The magazine in printed in Austria, but you can buy it online. It's a really beautiful publication. When I get a second, I'll take a better photo of the spread. For now, this is all I got.

And the talk to come: Marlee Grace of Have Company has invited me to do an artist talk and demo in her store in Grand Rapids, MI (my favorite city). If you're there, I would love to see you Dec 30th at 6pm down at the store on Division. I will be talking, selling prints through Lafontsee Gallery, and a lucky winner will get to take home the demo painting. Just for showing up!

Have Company! Photo: Marlee Grace

Now I just have to muster up my social skills, as lately I just spend every day talking to my dog.

ALSO. I am pretty pumped about this: I am having a print release with Lafontsee Gallery soon. I'll share more details in a bit - but what I can say is that I proofed one of the prints yesterday am so excited to finally be able to share quality prints of my work. I've never been able to nail down selling reproductions. But soon my loves.

This week, I finished for a dear friend of mine, a commission which was quite unusual for me. In Phoenix, I shared a studio with two wonderful artists, and one of them, Joe, commissioned a nude - which fits his aesthetic as he does beautiful large scale drawings of female nudes. I hadn't done one seriously since college, and it was a challenge to fit it into my style.

He told me (albeit jokingly) he was about to launch the next phase of my career with these 'Green Girls' and we shall see. To tell you the truth, I am already planning on doing a series of three more to turn into limited edition prints.

The piece is 18x24, Acrylic on Paper. Details can be seen on the full site.

And for all you enjoying the sun in Phoenix, I am happy to announce that I will be showing in a group exhibition there called UNO at Palabra Gallery on December 6! I'll post more on that soon!

I have to start this post by backing up a couple of months. Last year living in Phoenix, I met the most extraordinary people. People who gave freely and welcomed us with open arms, so wide that I knew they'd be life long friends.

One of these friends is Sienna.

She is a tiny, spirited bright girl who is amazing at drawing, totally loving, and an expert hoola-hooper. (I know - we had a stand off that lasted for an eternity). Her father, Steve, is an incredibly giving and kind person who has an open mind and supports artists of all calibers. This year, Steve commissioned a piece for Sienna and I finished her painting this week.

It's titled, Second Story Art Class and is 24x36 on wood, painted with acrylic and oil.

This past August and September, all of my time was taken up with this massive project. I created the illustrations for this commercial, from the house to the couch, to the sandwiches, figures, eyebrows and clothes. Those were then taken by Eric, the animator, and brought to life. It was an incredible challenge, and I am so so thankful for the opportunity.

I have to thank TEAK for setting me up on this project, working with an animation amateur, and for creating such a wonderful final. Check them out - they do amazing things. I also want to thank Boiron for taking me on and allowing me to work with them.

This month in St. Anthony's Magazine, you will find the double page spread illustration I did for the short fiction story, "Handshake of Peace," written by Marie Anderson. After doing a full approved sketch, I created the work on paper with acrylic and colored pencil. The illustration was so wide, I had to do it in three parts and stitch it together digitally. Can you see what I added in the final that's not in the sketch?

This past couple of weeks have been mad, but the best part is, I have been able to do some gallery work, with no expectations, no one giving me a direction. I really feel that somewhere along the way my work got a little too sweet. Like I might as well have just poured ice cream all over a canvas. My work used to be really dark, and then it got really nice and now I think I'll try for a middle ground.

Commercial work can be hard sometimes, as many a client has the remark..."I like this work, but can you make them smile? They're too sad!" Brighter colors and smiles! Which of course I don't mind, because I love a challenge. But when it comes time to do work for me, I really do love a calm painting with a bit of the unknown scary mystery that is the Universe.

Anyway I'm rambling. If you're still reading, I'm surprised ;)

Here is some new work! There are gallery pages for the paintings so you can see more views as well.

Ok! Back to work. Happy Halloween my little ghost friends, and if you're in Denver, perhaps I'll see you at the Origins opening tonight!

If you're in Grand Rapids, MI, then you will see these paintings at Lafontsee Gallery for their fall event November 8th!

Next Friday if you're in Denver, you have to come to the Origins opening at Love Gallery! Tons of great artists will be showing their preliminary thoughts, scratches, and sketches on paper. There will also be a couple artists taking those sketches to final pieces! Here's my finished piece! It's called, "My insides are gold".

You may not know this, but I have a little shining place in my heart for everything miniature. Like other miniature lovers, it's the kind of shine that makes your toes curl and you just want to puke or cry when you see an apple the size of a corn kernel. If this is you too, you know the feeling.

A n y w a y.

I have a lot of paintings to do this month, I'll admit it, but I haven't, for the life of me, found the inspiration. I thought, "What do I want to do? Other than making a miniature celebration of my favorite month in the whole world?"

So that's what I did.

I used to do a lot more three-dimensional work, but since college, I feel I've been a bit molded by other expectations. I realized this was the first project since school that I've done something only because my heart wanted to. I always put these projects off because they aren't lucrative, but someday I want to turn this into my full time career, so why not start practicing now?

Here are some little details of the scene.

I made the basket out of foam and woven paper, and a nail. The bread and apples are made from sculpey. Uncle Sam made the penny.

The stones and marshmallows are sculpey, and the fire is made from painted plastic. The little marshmallow bag is made from a re-sealed cut ziploc bag. The leaves are real! I just tore them up into little bits.

Here's a full view. I made the scene on foam, and used real branches, except for the large tree which is made of foam and branches. The backdrop is colored pencil drawn on the backside of a large print I had in my studio.

Yay! This is the funnest project I have done in a long time. Thanks for reading all about it. I'd love to hear your dreams, something you're working on, even if it's just in your head.

I have been working nonstop, and when you pour something for long enough the contents eventually diminish. We all get in ruts, plateau, question, and stress. No better time to be nice to yourself.

I've got loads of paintings to do, all October deadlines, so yesterday I didn't paint at all. Instead I went to the bookstore where this old man at the counter was so excited to be reading Mary Oliver's Dog Poems that he read one aloud to me, and I melted from the inside out. I then bought some inspiration. *sigh* Jon Klassen's illustrations melt me from inside out too.

But I love October and am thoroughly pumped for this month - it's my favorite. And I think I am going to try and make a quail costume!

September has been insane. Insane. So busy, I've been living in a bubble!

Here's an editorial piece I did lately for the article, "Child's Pose" for Minnesota Monthly Magazine from sketch to final!

The art director gave me the direction for the second one which I ended up taking to the final. This one was done on a yellowing old piece of paper, and I usually start off with a base warm tone.

And here's the final! I'll post an image of the printed version too, it printed really nicely.

And! Today I finished a piece for Anna Goodson's upcoming promotional campaign, 'Art Speaks Louder than Words'. All illustrators were asked to do a piece promoting gay rights in Russia, in response to recent policies instated. Mine is called, "Celebrate Love"

YAY! More to come my friends. I'm going to spend October working on personal commissions and creating some more personal work for Lafontsee Gallery! But not before I overdose on apple cider and Harry Potter.

This past issue of Flow Magazine featured drawing tutorials from a couple of different artists, and I was honored to have been asked to do one. If you're not familiar with the Dutch Magazine, check it out; it's to die for. The international issues are available in English and you can purchase them online!

Back to work! This month has been killer busy but I promise I'll share more work soon!